The Bible Made Simple

                                                                  Lesson 4

                                                   The Old and New Garments

The Old and New Garments

Bible Verse: Matthew 9:16

“No man putteh a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse”.

Bible Verse Luke 5:36

“And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of new garment upon an old: if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old“.

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2. Locate KEY WORDS in the verse : 3. Discover their SPIRITUAL MEANING :

( usually nouns or “real things”) (by using the BIBLE WORD PICTURES)

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2. Locate KEY WORD in the verse : 3. Discover their SPIRITUAL MEANING :

(usually nouns or “real things”) (by using the BIBLE WORD PICTURE)

Substitute the Spiritual meaning for the Real Objects and then paraphrase the verse.

No man can put a “piece” of a____________(new cloth)

onto an__________________(old garment) because the

______________(new) will “take away” or remove part of

the_______________(old), and the result will be that less

of the______________(old garment) remains. The “piece”

that was taken out of the____________________(new) is

completely different than the_____________(old) and you

can see that there is a difference.

Note: This Parable assumes that the person wants to “keep his old clothes” and simply “patch them up”. However, each time a “new patch” is put on, the “patch” tears a bigger hole in the old clothes because the “new patch” is stronger than the old cloth. Also the “new patch” would not look like the old faded cloth.

Now we are beginning to “get the picture”. An old garment with “patches” of new garment over the “holes”, represents the life or character of a person who is a sinner (old garment) who tries to “patch up” his sinful life with “a little righteousness” (piece of new garment). The result is a sinner who is trying to “look good”, but who remains a sinner!

Since the “patch” will not work but tears an even bigger hole in the garment, which reveals even more “nakedness” or sinfulness, the sinner attempts to “work” even more righteousness” to cover his now greater sin.

Eventually, the “hole” in the garment becomes so large that in effect there is no garment left and the person is left completely naked!

Thus, a person has only two choices:

1. To become completely “naked”.

or

2. To become completely “covered”.

with a new garment.

Similarly, the sinner has only two choices:

1. To become completely sinful(naked)

or 

2. To become completely righteous

(covered with a new garment)

Now the question is how does the sinner become ”completely righteous” if he can’t do it a ”little at a time” (“patches”)?

The answer is that the sinner must become "completely righteous” all at once! How can this be done? When a “completely naked” person puts on a new garment, they are immediately “completely covered” by the “new garment”.

Similarly, when a “completely sinful” person puts on the Robe of Christ’s Righteousness(new garment) they are immediately “completely covered” by His Righteous life(new garment)! Their ”nakedness” or sinfulness is no longer visible!

Isaiah 61:10 “…My soul shall be joyful in my God for He hath clothed me with the garment of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness….”

As far as the judgment is concerned, the person ”covered” by the Robe of Christ’s Righteousness is as perfectly sinless as Christ is!

Job 29:14 “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my judgment was as a robe.”

But, there is a problem that this parable brings out. The ”new garment” cannot be put over the ”old garment“. It is necessary to get rid of the old garment before you can put on the “new garment”! This illustrates the principle that we cannot continue to hold on to our old sinful life(old garment) and expect Jesus to give us a new life! (new garment). We must allow Jesus to change us and to ”take away our filthy garment” or sinfulness.

The Change of Garments (The Change of Character)

Gen.3:6 “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat”.

Gen.3:7 “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons”.

(Adam and Eve were originally “clothed” by God. After they sinned they lost their garments given to them by God)

Gen.3:7 “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that ** they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons“.

(Adam and Eve “tried to make “garments” or clothing for themselves).

Gen.3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skin, and clothed them“.

(The Lord God made new garments for Adam and Eve and took away their old garments of fig leaves. The “new garments” made by the Lord were “coats of skins”. An animal had to die in order to provide them with “new garments)“.

Pro.27:26 “The Lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field”.

(Jesus The Lamb had to die to provide us with “New Garments”)

Gen.35:2 “Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:“.

(We need a “change of garments” but we can’t make “new garments” for ourselves – only Jesus can provide us with “New garments”).

Zec.3:3 “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel”.

Zec.3:4 “And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garment from him. And unto him he said Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment”.

(Jesus will “take away” our “filthy garments” (our sins) and will clothe us with “change of raiment” or “New Garments”, His Righteousness).

Isa.61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels”.

(We can’t “change our characters” (garments) but Jesus can change us).

DISCOVERING HIDDEN TREASURE

Bible Verse: Matthew 9:16, and Luke 5:36

“No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse”.

This Parable Literally or “Physically” says:

“If you have an old garment with holes in it, you can’t patch it up using a piece of a new garment!”

What are your “options” then, and what are the Spiritual implications of the Parable?

Your “options” are:

1.

2.

The “Spiritual implications” are:

1.

2.